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Part of new Boston Mayor Marty Walsh's platform was expanding arts in the city and today he'll take a step in that direction when he drops the ceremonial "first beat" of the week-long Together Boston music, art and technology festival. Walsh will literally get behind the turntables at 11:20 and kick off the fifth annual festival, which is headquartered in the city-owned District Hall in the Seaport.

“I couldn't be happier to see Together Boston thriving in its fifth year,” Walsh said in a statement. “It's great to see this celebration of music, art and technology developing such a strong partnership with District Hall, the home of innovation in Boston, and so many other local businesses. We appreciate the hard work of Together Boston's staff in bringing together names like Mos Def from New York City (note: Mos Def had to cancel); Numero Group from Chicago; Germany’s Tensnake; and of course legendary local bands like Major Stars. Lineups like these garner national and international attention, which helps us strengthen Boston's reputation as a cultural destination.”

I love that Walsh is getting behind the music, even if he needed help with that quote -- no way he knows who Major Stars are, right?

Together begins its series of Together Talks and daytime events with a Community Day today at District Hall in the seaport district. The series continues with a Technology Day on Friday, Music Day on Saturday, and Art Day on Sunday. Each day has been carefully curated around the theme with guest speakers, hands-on activities, and discussions.

District Hall, a public-purpose gathering space for Greater Boston’s innovation community, was specifically designed to build connections and showcase new ideas.